


Until the darkness claims us, too

by Dawninlatin



Category: Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Lots of sad boi hours in this one, Manorian (mentioned), One Shot, Post-Book 7: Kingdom of Ash, canonverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:28:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25282393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dawninlatin/pseuds/Dawninlatin
Summary: Post Kingdom of AshManon had expected to find thirteen wyverns sleeping soundly, and her heart sank when she was once again proved wrong. There was only one, had only been one for some time, and he was taking her in with sad eyes.Some much-needed comforting between Manon and Abraxos because KoA broke my heart and soul:(
Relationships: Abraxos & Manon Blackbeak, Manon Blackbeak/Dorian Havilliard
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	Until the darkness claims us, too

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!
> 
> There's been a lot of sad boi hours lately, so I haven't gotten much writing done, but I felt angsty and wanted to write this, so here you go:))
> 
> QoP 10 is on it's way, I just needed this one shot to ease back into it:)
> 
> Also consider this my contribution to the "Abraxos is a cinnamon roll and deserves the WORLD"-club.

It was with heavy steps and a heavy heart that Manon Blackbeak Crochan climbed the stairs to the aerie. 

The sound of her feet against the stone echoed through the silent tower. It was pitch black around her, the cloudy cover hindering any star from illuminating the night. 

Manon hated the silence, hated how it wrapped around her like a second skin, choking her, following her wherever she went, a constant reminder of how utterly _alone_ she was. 

As she finally reached the top, the frigid air hit her like a fist, goosebumps appearing on her arms. She had expected to find thirteen wyverns sleeping soundly, and her heart sank when she was once again proved wrong. There was only one, had only been one for some time, and he was taking her in with sad eyes.

«You couldn’t sleep either, huh?» Abraxos let out a huff, scooting over to make some room for her. Manon slowly walked towards him, finding it a little easier to breathe when she was surrounded by the familiar smell of hay, the wind rustling her braid. If she closed her eyes, she could almost convince herself everything was normal. 

Once she reached her mount, Manon let her perfect posture falter, taking off the mask she forced herself to wear every, single, day. She dropped her head, letting her forehead meet Abraxos’. Manon tried to take a deep breath, but it hitched, and instead she let out a sob.

«Oh, Abraxos. I’m so tired.» It was a truth she hadn’t spoken out loud to anyone. As queen of a newly united people, she was vulnerable. Only two months had passed since their return to the Wastes, yet she’d already had to banish three covens to avoid a civil war from breaking out. If she let herself fall apart, if she showed how broken and damaged she really was, there would be no hope of creating a world where witches, Ironteeth and Crochan’s alike, could life together in peace.

_«Bring our people home, Manon.»_

She let out another sob at the familiar words that echoed in her mind. _«You were supposed to be her with me!» s_ he wanted to scream into the night. _«I can’t do this without you.»_

But Manon kept the words locked tightly inside herself. She would gladly carry the heavy weight on her shoulders if it meant an end to the feud between the two peoples. No matter how exhausted it made her, she would get out of bed every morning and maintain the perfect picture of composure, a queen who knew her place, her might, even if Manon felt like she was pretending. Because if she let herself rest, let herself _really_ grief, she wouldn’t be able to get back up.

That was why the many sleepless nights often brought her up to the aerie, to Abraxos. He was nudging her know, and she looked up to meet his eyes. They mirrored her own, full of heartbreak and loss. 

It would be humiliating if anyone ever found out how many nights she _actually_ spent like this, but it was the only way she could get some rest. Manon couldn’t bear the thought of waking up once more in a foreign bed, in a foreign room, expecting it all to have been some cruel nightmare.

Manon wiped away her tears, only for more to follow. «I know,» she said, trying to comfort the wyvern. «I know it hurts.» He had also suffered a great loss that day. His mate, his family. She was all he had left, and for him, she would keep going, no matter how hard it was.

Abraxos laid down and gestured for Manon to do so as well. She sat down on the floor, leaning against his warm, leathery hide. «I miss them so much,» she choked out, her crying filling the silent night.

As her sobs died out, the pair sat in silence for a moment, taking comfort in each other’s company. Then Manon spoke once more, «It’s only you and me now.» She whispered the words into the eerie night, tears still rolling down her cheeks.

Trying to soothe his rider, Abraxos wrapped one of his wings around her. «We’ll be alright, you and I, I promise.» And she wanted to believe her own words, she really did.

«Until the darkness comes to claim us too, we’ll stay together, always.» The wyvern looked over at her, something akin to a sad smile softening his features.

«I’m so grateful to have you by my side,» Manon said, stroking his head. Abraxos leaned into the touch, and Manon thanked whatever gods had led her to this brave, patient, flower-smelling beast. She might have saved him from suffering the same faith as the other bait beasts, but he had saved her too, in so many ways.

Drawing a shuddering breath, Manon looked toward the horizon, where a single star now shone through the clouds. «You know, they are still with us,» she spoke, her voice breaking, «in here.» As she said the words, Manon laid a hand over her beating heart.

There had been many times where she wondered if she even had a heart. She most certainly had been raised without one. But she knew now, for it ached with loss and love for her fierce thirteen, hoping they would one day be reunited in the darkness.

«Thank you, for teaching me how to love,» she said to Abraxos, him nudging her with his head in return, letting out a purr. 

Manon’s gaze shifted towards the mountains in the far distance. As if knowing where her mind had wandered, Abraxos threw her a glance that said, _«Why haven’t you talked to him yet?»_

She sighed at the thought of the blue-eyed king that occupied her mind more often than she liked. «Not yet,» she said, shaking her head. Manon needed to learn how to cope on her own first, but the thought of seeing him again filled her with a newfound hope for the future.

Manon looked over at Abraxos as he let out an exasperated sigh, making a gesture that looked awfully human. «Did you just roll your eyes at me?» She couldn’t help but chuckle at his antics. It felt good to still be able to laugh. Her soul was missing twelve vital pieces, but she could learn how to live without them, she had to.

«We should sleep,» Manon declared to her wyvern.

Abraxos gave her a pointed stare, as if to say « _Here, in the cold?»_

«Stop fussing you mother hen. I brought a blanket this time.» She held it up, showing him. «Besides, sleeping beside you is like sleeping beside a furnace.»

After going back and forth with her stubborn wyvern for a while, Manon finally settled down on her side, wrapping herself in the heavy wool blanket. Abraxos put his wing around her, shielding her body from the cold wind.

Soon enough, the aerie is filled with the sound of Abraxos’ snoring. Closing her eyes, Manon was grateful that she’d made it through another day, the sound of her wyvern’s calm, steady breathing lulling her to sleep at last.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading, comments and constructive criticism are always appreciated!<3
> 
> Peace&Love  
> -Dawninlatin


End file.
